Your Photo Equipment for Koi.....

[aquitori]

I just wanted to know what hobbyist use to photo they're koi?

Point n Shot or DSLR?
Brand and model?

What type of tubs? Measuring tub or viewing bowl?

[111whalen]

Just remember to use a polarizer-most have a dialing capability to change the angle of the glare. Older camers must be adjusted to do this without under exposing. But the new ones, if they are through the lens, work just fine. Any body got a trick for shooting Gin?

[smithvillemike]

25 Gallon Blue Bowl

Toshiba TDR M700 and when I am playing around my underwater Sea & Sea D860G

[Eugeneg]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori I just wanted to know what hobbyist use to photo they're koi? Point n Shot or DSLR? Brand and model? What type of tubs? Measuring tub or viewing bowl?

I use a Cannon 5D camera . The reflected light is a problem so if you had a dark cover over the top like a sail it would help or overpower the ambient light with a flash . A bowl is not very good to use as fish swim around in a circle so I use a 45gal blue drum cut in half horizonally . THis way fish have to swim up and down in the centre which makes it a lot easier . Problem is that it is not much good for fish that are over 28 in and not even that for males .
Regards
Eugene

[MCA]

Canon 40D with either 100mm macro, 28-135mm IS zoom, 75-300mm IS zoom

[jnorth]

Instead of using a polarizer I just use a Polariod to take koi photos.....

[JanT]

We need a new one! Dropped the old Sony out the window of the truck while in the mountains last fall!!! Still works, but no flash, etc.

I would like a Nikon DSLR.

[Lam Nguyen]

Quote: Originally Posted by Eugeneg I use a Cannon 5D camera . The reflected light is a problem so if you had a dark cover over the top like a sail it would help or overpower the ambient light with a flash . A bowl is not very good to use as fish swim around in a circle so I use a 45gal blue drum cut in half horizonally . THis way fish have to swim up and down in the centre which makes it a lot easier . Problem is that it is not much good for fish that are over 28 in and not even that for males . Regards Eugene

I think that this is a great idea Eugene. In fact I know of a couple of koi dealers that are using this method. For bigger koi they have a gigantic half-tub. I would definitely like to try this sometimes.

I myself use a fiberglass measuring tub. When I first started taking pictures the koi would just swim along the edges of the tub. Then I went to a dealer in Seattle and had the opportunity to observe the methods that they were using: they had a fiberglass measuring tub sitting on top of 8x8x16 blocks to make it higher. It's a two-people effort where one person would be the photographer and the other person would hold what looks to me like a small fiberglass rod. This person would use the rod to gently nudge the koi so that it would swim to the middle of the tank. I copied this method and had my wife help me out. I think that it was much easier and the pixs turned out better.

I use a Nikon D70 with a polarizer and a blue measuring tub for mine. I also like to take pixs in a semi-dark environment like my garage. It's definitely a lot of work but it's nice to be able to observe your koi up close.

[Sangreaal]

Quote: Originally Posted by 111whalen Just remember to use a polarizer-most have a dialing capability to change the angle of the glare. Older camers must be adjusted to do this without under exposing. But the new ones, if they are through the lens, work just fine. Any body got a trick for shooting Gin?

Shooting ginrin seems to be best accomplished in shade with a single spotlight source from the side or a 3/4 angle. Lights from the top or all over ambient light seems to make the gin randomly flash, giving a spotty appearance when there really isn't any.

Oh, at present I'm using a Kodak Z650, the pretenda SLR. True SLR's are better, and my fav is the Canon 40D. I appreciate a large aquarium for my art portraits, would like to have a nice blue bowl and a square blue measuring bowl for top glamour shots, but love the effects of freestyle pond shots.

[gspotmc]

d70, blue measuring tub, viewing tub and new addition Canon digital camcorder XL2.